Tire testing machine



Sept. 6, 1932. H. E. WARNER TIRE TESTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Hare/d 5. Warner v I A TTORNEY.

Sept. 6, 1932. H. E. WARNER TIRE TESTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTQR.

Hare/d 5 Warner BY ATTORN Patented Sept. 6, 1932 "uNrr 1-ine1sa'a 'i"as,

HAROLD E. WARNER, OF WEST SPRINGFIELD, MAsfsReHu-sETTs,LASsIGNORTO HET'ISBE;

RUBBER COMPANY, or CHICOPEE EALLs;iNAssAoHUsETTs;.A GORBORATIONzLOEQ MASSACHUSETTS TIRE TESTING MA RIN J j Application filed February 1a, 1926: 1* seriar' ar25a22a My invention relates to machines for testing pneumatic tire casings of the type in which the tire is pressed against a rotating drum. The object of the invention is to preserve the tire from further injury after it has failed, and to preserve an accurate record of the amount the tire has run prior to failure.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a tire testing machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation;

5 Fig. 4 is a section on line 44 of Fig. 3,;

Fig. 5 is a detail corresponding to a portion of Fig. 3, but showing the parts in a difierent position of operation;

Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is an end elevation of Fig. 5;

Figs. 8 and 9 are respectively top and side views on a larger scale of parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 10 is a Wiring diagram.

The mechanisms are mounted on a base or foundation 10, preferably of concrete. From this base rises a frame 11 carrying journals 12 for a cross shaft 13. A large wheel 14 fixed to this shaft has a flat outer periphery serving as the artificial road surface against which the tires are run. A pair of frames 15, located on the base at opposite sides of the large wheel, bear tracks 16 upon which run the wheels 17 of carriages 18. These carriages are duplicates, and a description of one will suflice for both.

Each carriage bears a pair of journals 19 supporting a shaft 20. A chuck 21 at one end of the shaft is fitted to receive the usual 4 rim 22 of the tire 23 to be tested. At the rear of the carriage are brackets 24 hearing the pivots 25 of a block 26 into which is threaded a screw 27. The screw bears a hand wheel 28, and is suitably mounted for rotation without 4 endwise movement by thrust collars 29 in a block 30: pivoted at 31 to tlie: sl ort arm of a bellicrank 82: The long arm of thebell'crank extends; substantially horizontally; the crank being pivoted: at i33 to-afr ame "34fi Rods -35 at. the: end of the long armcarry "a Weight; 36 .1

which constantly urges the wardsfithe. large wheel 14. I

At the en'dnf frame 34c rise a pair jofispaced angle ironsi37 forming wa'ysfora slotted slide carriage 1811 1 38" S66 'YF1gS. Tend-6); The-sl-ide is securedilu'a aseata' 39 etc a pistonroel el) attach'ed to it pistonr running 51-111 a hydr au-lic' cylinder 341 A shoulder' 42 is 'formed on' the slide which mates wane shoulder 435011 a :latch bloek 44.

pivoted seas to one of the angl'e irons-372 'A ae rod-i246 extends 1 from I the block and= bars,=a weight 1471. constantly urgingtheblock in a clockwisedirectionasviewed:in Figs. S- aHdE- sothat-it' isin positiomto engagefthe slide 38 and retaimitnin 'elevated pos'ition;=; Stop pi n-s 51 1 L'Zfiare preferably providedato liin'it themetion of; thebloclrzinleach directions.

Attached to. oneofri'th'e: angle irons is a switch" box148 in whichlisspivoted abell crank control: arm 49 havinga spring fiflf Figilamnz.

10,); attached :to: it' so aSi toipass substantially through the pivot point and hold the in-"- either.- extremeposition .ibyi the? usual tog 1e action; When inionepositionthe-arni stri against a; contact pointz52;;=. An'eleictricai tir cuit isz thus;- completed aseashown in 101 through ithe pivot; control 1311111249; contact: point 152 mm the solenoid 53m": an'ele ctrinally operated valve 54- "controlling :the: iadmissimnigot;

of water under pressure to the hydraulic. eylsl- 111C181}. 4:1 Arlinlm55 -attached to theseontrol arm 49 is joined,'preferably through a spring; 56, with thevlongzarm .oftheabellicranlrr32 so 131121113 when the: latterzisv swung intotheedottedr-ssl:

5 moves-the control arm-49l-iupwardly when-Yet) the bell crank is raised to its upper position.

Considering the operation of this much of the apparatus it is apparent that upon the failure of a tire under test the shaft 20 will at once be forced towards the wheel 14 by the force of weight 36. This causes the horizontal arm of the bell crank 32 to drop, which closes the switch in box 48 and by passing current through solenoid 53 opens the water valve 54. The water pressure thus introduced within the hydraulic cylinder 41 raises the slide 38 which bears under the long arm of the bell crank and raises it. Near the upper limit of its motion the shoulder 42 onslide 38 passes the shoulder 43 on the latch block,

which acts like a pawl and prevents later descent of the slide. At the same time the roll 57 strikes the control arm 49, opening the switch and thereby shutting off the valve 54. The carriage 18 carrying the tire is by this action carried back out of contact with the large wheel 14, preventing further injury to the tire as the wheel continues to rotate. The hand wheel 28 is used merely to adjust the position of the carriage for different sizes of tires.

The above mechanism is also utilized in getting an accurate record of the length of run made by the tire before failure. A'pair of gears 59, one for each carriage, is mounted on shaft 13, each gear meshing with a pinion 60 (Figs. Sand 9)-carried upon an arm 61 pivoted at '62 to the frame 11. A spring 63, strained between the arm and a bracket 64, keeps the arm normally against an adjustable stop 65 so that the pinion and gear mesh properly. A flexible shaft 66 connects the pinlonto an ordinary combined speedometer and odometer 67 so that both the speed of rotation of the tire and the distance it has traveled can be registered. A cable 68, pass' ing over guide rolls 69, connects the arm 61 with the short arm of bell crank 32, causing the pinion to be drawn out of mesh with the gear when the carriage is retracted.

The large wheel 14 may be provided with straight and annularblocks 70 and 71 to cause suddendefiection strains in the tires under test, and may be rotated by any suitable means. 'I have shown a pulley 7 2 connected by a belt 7 3 witha motor 74, which may be op- Changes in me eratedat variable speeds. chanical design may, of course, be made as desired without departing from the scope of tllie invention as defined in the appended c aim.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim! A tire testing mach ne which comprises a rotatable wheel, a tire support mounted for is retracted.

' HAROLD E. WARNER. 

